Twisted Paths
by dragonheartt
Summary: Primewho Oneshot. Abby stared at the man who looked just like Connor, whose name was John Smith. For a moment, she allowed herself to pretend, as they walked and he chattered, that the accident had never happened, that this really was her Connor. But he wasn't. ... Right?


AN: I'm not quite sure where this idea came from, and it took on a life of it's own, but I'm really proud of it :3 Also... trust the writer, yeah? :)

Also note that this is a oneshot. not gonna continue it :v

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A dark-haired young man strolled down the street with a spring to his step and his hands swinging at his sides. He looked both young and old at the same time, dark eyes sparkling with an innocent, childish mischief whilst at the same time holding depths that spoke of sadness and loss. Hidden was a sense of urgency, and uncomfortability. He hadn't intended on returning here. Dressed in a tee shirt, waistcoat, and sweatpants, the young man didn't garner much attention from those he passed as he walked.

Keyword being, _much._

A young woman with short-cropped platinum blonde hair, dressed all in black and hurrying past with shopping bags in her hands, glanced his way, then continued to walk. After a second, she did a double-take, stumbling in surprise. No way. This wasn't possible. The universe was just playing a cruel trick on her; it couldn't be. The young man was oblivious as he walked, looking at the shop signs and in the windows as he went. He passed the young woman, whose name was Abby, and she stood there, staring at him.

"Connor?" Her voice cracked as she breathed the name. The man didn't hear her, it would seem. "Connor Temple?" She said, louder. He immediately glanced over his shoulder at her, and she felt her heart seem to stop for a single second, thinking that it was him, before those familiar dark golden-brown eyes squinted in confusion as he furrowed his brow. Her heart felt like it was breaking all over again. She stared at him, and he turned around. She tried to ignore the impulse to wonder where his hat and fingerless gloves were. This wasn't Connor, not if he didn't recognize her.

"Sorry?" The man said, his voice just like Connor's. "I think you 'ave me confused with someone else..." He said slowly, fidgeting slightly. He was so like Connor... He looked concerned at the expression on her face, dipping his head slightly to meet her gaze. She looked on the verge of tears. "Are you okay, miss?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine. Sorry, you look... you look just like a... friend of mine." She managed, voice crackling on the words.

Used to talking to anyone and everyone, he smiled a little at her. "That does happen sometimes, especially to me." He told her, a hint of innocent laughter in his tone mixing with a hint of something else; what it was, she wasn't sure. Despite the pain of seeing Connor's grin on a stranger's face, Abby couldn't stop the small smile that lifted the corners of her lips in response. She realized she was staring into his eyes, and hastily looked away, clearing her throat at the awkwardness of the moment. The young man merely chuckled lightly under his breath.

"Anyways, sorry about that. Next thing you know, I'll be seeing his..." She swallowed audibly. "Ghosts." Then she cleared her voice again, avoiding his gaze.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." He said softly. He understood loss, had felt it time and time again. She and her 'friend' had been in love. He knew how that felt, too. On more than one occasion but this situation was reminding him why he'd run in the first place. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Part of him thought it would be best if he said goodbye and left; he didn't want to cause her more pain. But, at the same time, despite it all, he couldn't leave her.

"Here, why don't I help you with that, if you'd like?... miss...?" She looked up at him in surprise, blue eyes wet with unshed tears, and wide. She stared at him, then her brow furrowed for a moment before she nodded.

Abby wasn't used to trusting complete strangers, even if they looked like her dead husband more than they ought. (Her heart gave a twinge at the word 'dead'.) Connor had earned her trust over time (not to mention her love), but she was still wary around most people. Yet, for some reason, she felt she could trust this man.

"I'm Abby." She paused. "Abby Temple."

"I'm... John Smith." He said, and to her ears it almost sounded like a question. He grinned at her, and took one of the bags from her. Abby raised an eyebrow at the man.

"Really? John smith?"

"Yep." Oh. He even popped the 'p' at the end of the word like Connor did. Her grin failed at that thought, and she looked away, squeezing her eyes shut. "Are you alright?" He asked softly. She nodded.

"Mhm. Well, I'm this way, not too far."

When she didn't think about it, as they walked and he chattered, Abby could almost pretend that the accident hadn't happened. Almost. John looked like exactly like Connor had before the trip to the cretaceous. And, the odd thing was, she now looked like she had back then, too. Somewhat, at least, with her short, cropped hair. Even though the accident had been well over a year ago, Abby still wore mostly muted colors or black, finding it hard to simply stop grieving. She could not move on; she wouldn't.

Anomalies had stopped, which was something. Connor had finally done it, and then he'd promptly gotten killed by a hit-and-run driver.

She looked at John Smith as they walked, and decided that she really couldn't pretend. He was not her Connor, as much as her heart wished he was. They were approaching her flat now, and Abby's gut twisted with the thought of having to say good-bye to the man who reminded her of Connor so strongly. She and Connor had moved into their own flat after a few weeks staying with Jess, and since the day Connor had died, she hadn't moved any of his things. (Apart from the boxer shorts laying around... after a week or two.) She took the last few steps up to the base of the stairs at her door, and turned around to face John.

He grinned easily at her, and she smiled back, even though it hurt.

"Well, 'ere we are. I expect you'll be likin' your shopping back, yeah?" He said, handing it to her. She didn't touch his hand as she took it from him, letting it drop to her side in her grip as she met his dark gaze. There was something far older, and younger, at once about him, especially his eyes. Connor had sometimes been like that, too.

"Uhm. Right, yes. Nice to meet you, John." Abby said after a moment. He looked away, the tips of his ears turning pink, and she couldn't help but stare at the man.

"I may've lied a tiny bit..." He admitted, and her breath caught, eyes narrowing in suspicion. What now? Sensing her unease, he looked at her, expression apologetic. "Nothin' like that, Abb- Abby." He almost slipped up on that, and she wondered what he was going to say instead. A small part of her expected him to call her Abbs, like Connor always did. But no; no-one would ever call her that in his voice again. Connor was dead. She went up the first step, and then the second.

"Me name isn't John Smith."

"That's not exactly a surprise." She replied, cutting him off, then waved at him to continue. He rolled his eyes.

"Name only got popular 'cause I like usin' it." He grumbled, then shook his head. He hadn't expected to see her again, though why he'd thought that when England, and London especially, wasn't all that large (especially compared to the Universe, and he knew how big that was). He'd expected to leave, but he hadn't stopped loving her, from a distance. For Abby it had only been a year and a half. For him, it had been ten long, lonely years without her, and he'd only visited this version of London twice. He'd hated having to leave her, and even more, having to fake his own death. (And in fact, never telling her who he really was... what he really was... that had been the worst thing he had done.) He didn't expect her to forgive him, or even to believe him.

"Me name is Connor Temple. Your Connor Temple." He told her, looking right into her eyes, which widened in shock, and then immediately narrowed in suspicion. He held up his hand. "Wait, just... just let me explain, yeah? Well, firstly... I'm sorry, really, really sorry Abbs. I didn't 'ave any choice, y'see..."

"I don't believe you! I saw y- Connor die!" She told him, taking another step up until she stood on the mat at the landing. Her tone was rough, choppy.

"You saw what y' thought was a car 'itting a man. They never let you see the body, did they?" He said, tone serious. She looked bewildered, and he caught her hand as it clenched into a fist. She may have trained him to fight, but she was still quicker and better at it than he was.

"What do you mean?!" She didn't try to pull away just yet. That was good.

"I'm not dead, Abbs! I faked me own death, okay? I found out tha' someone wanted somethin' to do with Anomalies, information that I only 'ad in me head. They didn't know you were involved with me at all, but I knew if they got me, it wouldn't be too long 'till you were in trouble, too. So I faked me death, and I... left." Abby was staring at him, silent, and he bit his lip nervously. "There's more. I'm not... exactly human." She looked at him like he was insane, and pulled away. He released her hand reluctantly.

"I'm the last of the Timelords. I come from a planet called Galifrey, and I can travel through time and space in the TARDIS." Connor admitted, gesturing at a point behind him. As he spoke, a blue Police Box appeared on the sidewalk in front of the flat. Connor gave her his best puppydog eyes, waiting silently. Abby actually seemed to be considering his words, and he thought he could see a spark of hope in her pale blue eyes.

"I'm still madly in love with you, Abbs. I'm done runnin'; will you take me back?" He said softly, not managing to keep the pleading note out of his voice near the end. His heartbeat sounded loud in his ears, and he fought the impulse to look away. Connor didn't want to loose eye contact with her, lest she close her walls up against him and deny his words.

Abby could hardly believe the things that he was saying. It was confusing, and frightening (though she wouldn't admit that), and she wasn't sure if she should believe him. Yet, she had seen the so-called TARDIS appear out of thin air, and his eyes held nothing but the truth adn his emotions. As Connor's always did.

She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, and nibbled at her lip, leaning towards him and pushing a lock of hair away from his eyes. He looked up at her with that same wide-eyed, sweetly innocent gaze. And Abby knew she couldn't possibly not believe him.

She wasn't so sure that this was real, however. Maybe she was dreaming, though she doubted her own imagination would have come up with the Timelord story, or the faking-his-own-death one... she didn't tend to think like that: it was usually Connor. She decided to just go with this, even if it was just a dream.

Abby smiled at Connor, "The Doctor", and stroked his cheek lightly. A tear dripped down as he silently watched her, and she couldn't help but lean down and kiss him. It was slow and soft and perfect, like their first kiss, but not as fleeting, both of their eyes fluttering closed, his hand on her shoulder and hers in his hair.

She pulled away after a moment, and smiled down at him. Like that first time, his eyes were slow in opening, settling down on his heels again and meeting her eyes with a stunned but immesurably happy look on his face.

"You've watched too much Sherlock, love; who else would really think of faking their own death?" She quipped in a soft voice. She watched the grin that spread on his face and found it much more geniune, much more Connor, than those given when he'd been "John Smith".

He chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, maybe I 'ave, at that." He went on tip-toes again to press a kiss to her lips and then pulled back. "I am sorry, Abbs."

She rolled her eyes at her husband. "You'll have to explain more about this Timelord business, Conn." Abby told him, smiling. His grin turned mischievous, and he pointed at the TARDIS with his thumb.

"Wanna go on an adventure, love?" He suggested. Abby raised both eyebrows, hesitating. "Don't tell me you're 'appy livin' a normal life, after the excitement of Anomalies..." He teased, though he wasn't averse to just settling down with her if she wanted.

"But what about Jess and the others?" Abby asked. He blinked, then looked at her sheepishly again.

"I didn't forget them, Abbs."

"No, I mean..."

"Oh, right! Well, y'know, we could spend as long as we like oon our adventure, an' then come back with almost no time passin'..."

She grinned at him, nodding. Then a speculative look entered her eyes.

"Is it dangerous?"

"... A bit. But what's adventure without danger?" She had to admit he was right.

"I... It's tempting..."

"We c'n settled down right after, bring Rex an' the troublemakers 'ome from the ARC... maybe start a family...?"

"Now you're getting ahead of yourself, Conn!" Abby quipped, though she could almost picture that. A little baby with her eyes and his hair, rex and sid and nancy... And Connor knew she didn't want to give up the thrill of adventure just yet. Eventually, but not now. "Okay, let's go."

And they did.

THE END

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**AN: And ofcourse they got Conn a new hat and fingerless gloves first!**


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